Noble Perseverance
by Leech613
Summary: Haruhime gets a little too curious for her own good - or does she? Perhaps this little bit of curiosity will give her the push she needs in order to win Bell's heart. Rated M(A) for mature content and themes.
1. Chapter 1

"Isn't Master Bell a bit young for alcohol?" Haruhime wondered out loud, holding up a tiny bottle against the light entering through the window. She had been cleaning out his wardrobe when she had found it stowed away in the corner of a drawer. It was reasonable to assume that he had kept it hidden on purpose - it didn't look like something from the dungeon and thus meant that Bell had probably obtained it by unsafe means. She opened the lid and sniffed the contents curiously.

"It's sweet... I'd almost swear I recognise the smell."

Indeed she did. What she had found was not alcohol, but rather, the small flask of aphrodisiac that Hermes had given Bell all that while ago in the Pleasure Quarter. Bell, being as morally correct and kind as ever, had considered it morally incorrect to throw away a gift from a god - even if that gift did have the potential to bring ten lifetimes of trouble.

Of course, recalling its particular smell didn't mean she knew what it was.

"He wouldn't mind if I... tried some, surely?" she asked herself. She figured that it would be a while before the rest of the familia returned from their daily venture into the dungeon and their goddess was able to leave work.

She shook her head violently, unable to pluck up the nerve to even open the lid. It was better to leave it be and continue what she had meant to do in the first place. She set it down on a clean shelf, moving on to wipe the drawers and walls of his wardrobe clean. She found herself constantly glancing up at the bottle, the vibrant colour of its contents attracting her gaze. She couldn't keep it up forever. There would be a point where she could no longer resist its allure. It was better to avoid it altogether.

Finding a reason to leave the room, she searched through Bell's clothes and found some that needed mending, picking them up and briskly walking out the door.

"I can't do anything with just one window," she told herself, taking a seat in the courtyard. She hoped the tears in Bell's clothes would be enough to keep her busy for the rest of the afternoon.

Her wishes were granted - she had little experience with a needle and pricked herself numerous times, sometimes drawing blood that needed to be washed off. Eventually, but not until sunset, she completed her task. She twitched her fingers, making sure she still had feeling in them after her multitude of mishaps.

She folded and stacked the repaired clothes before carrying them back to Bell's room. After spending so much time on mending his clothes, she had forgotten about the bottle in the wardrobe until she opened the door. Its magnetism seemed to be even more powerful, compelling her to quickly store the bundle in her arms and hide it back where it belonged.

But she would never reach the second step. Despite managing to put his clothes back in the drawers, the moment she lay a finger on the bottle, she failed to endure its charm.

"I'm sorry, Master Bell. Just this once," she said shamefully, opening the flask and putting it to her mouth. Just a few drops, she thought. Just a few drops wouldn't hurt.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

As the droplets of liquid slid down her throat, she felt nothing. Perhaps it was just water? Or maybe even perfume? But why would Bell need perfume? With the way his life was, he seemed like the person who least needed to attract attention, especially from women.

Before she could even complete her thoughts, the effects of the aphrodisiac kicked in. Heat enveloped her body, causing her to question if her fingers were the only places she tortured with the needle. She was barely able to place the bottle down before she fell to the ground, one hand rubbing her head desperately. She had never felt like this before - her head pounded, her body ached and she felt a strong desire for something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. At least she was sure of one thing; whatever she just drank, it was not alcohol.

Suddenly, her head began to hurt even more as she realised what she had just taken, albeit unknowingly.

"This is... aphrodisiac... but why would Master Bell...?"

She didn't have the time to be speculating why Bell had such drugs in his possession as she struggled to rise off the floor. She couldn't cook dinner like this, either. She'd have to at least write a note to apologise for it.

Taking a firm - or at least, a decent grip of the corner of the wardrobe, she gradually pulled herself off the floor and leaned against the wall, clawing her way out of the room. She mentally cursed the size of their home, wishing that for once it would be smaller for her convenience.

Finally reaching the kitchen, she found a rough sheet of paper lying around. Knowing the others would be home before she could find a quill and inkwell, she took a piece of charcoal from the oven and scrawled a messy note, placing it on the dining table before making her way back upstairs to her room. Yes, a good night's sleep would be enough. The effects would surely wear off by the next morning. Then she could prepare a massive breakfast for everyone to make up for tonight. That sounded like a perfect plan. Well, that's what she'd hoped it was.

Her body burned with longing as she lay on her bed. Writhe and turn as she might, she was unable to shake off the feeling of want. She was utterly consumed by her lust, regardless of whether she wanted it or not. There was no running away from it. She could only silently suffer until the effects disappeared. She buried her face in her pillows, as if it wasn't hot enough already, hopelessly begging her brain to let her sleep.

The sharp raps on her door didn't help her either.

"Miss Haruhime? Are you alright? You're not usually unwell," a gentle voice called from the other side.

Of all the people in the familia, of course it had to be Bell who was at her door.

"Um... yes, Master Bell. I suppose today is just a rare occasion," she replied shakily, unable to control her voice.

"Are you sure? You don't sound quite right. Is something wrong with your throat? I know! I'll bring you some tea. That'll help."

"Wait, Master Bell, don't worry, really! I'll be fine if I just sleep it off," she insisted, but Bell was already gone. She sighed apprehensively, tempted to berate Bell for being so kind.

He returned minutes later, knocking on the door again.

"Ah! Master Bell... um... just leave it in front of the door, please."

"Do you mind if I come in? Just to-"

"No, please don't!" she refused immediately. It would embarrass her immensely for Bell to see her like this. She simply could not bear for him to enter her room at any cost. She sounded like a frightened puppy, causing a look of worry to take over Bell's face.

"Alright... how about this? Until you show yourself, you won't be doing any jobs around the house. Do you understand?" Bell ordered in the most stern voice he could muster. He knew wasn't good at being serious in conversations but still made an attempt to sound as severe as possible.

His demands, however, were ignored by Haruhime. She was sure she would only stay like this until morning. There would be no problem if she opened the door the next day.

Well, no problem if Bell hadn't been so obstinate.

"Seems like I have to sit out here all night then."

Haruhime's eyes widened as if they weren't already large enough as a side effect of the drug. She absolutely could not let him do such a thing, even if it meant he would see her in her current pathetic state. If there was one thing that came before her dignity, it was Bell's health. If he slept outside her room for one whole night, she had no doubt in her mind that he would be ruined the next day.

She stood unsteadily, taking a few unbalanced steps toward the door. She hesitantly turned the doorknob and pulled the door back, unsure of what to expect from her familia leader.

Bell could only stare as her already blazing face darkened further with humiliation. He couldn't possibly have imagined anything that would have made her become like this.

"What... uh... what happened?"

"Master Bell..." Haruhime began tentatively, "could you explain... why do you have aphrodisiac in your possession?"

He knew that he was shooting himself in the foot by leaving that drug around. He had really done himself in this time.

"I'm sorry, Miss Haruhime. I've caused you harm," Bell said, bowing his head and avoiding the question.

"No, it's my fault for being too impulsive and inquisitive. Don't apologise for something that wasn't your doing."

No matter how she tried to comfort him, Bell could not help but feel overly guilty about Haruhime's condition.

"Is there any way I can help?" Bell asked without thinking.

Needless to say, of course there was. He could choose to either get her anaphrodisiac or to calm her down the other way. He crossed out the first option - most shops would be closed soon, especially the non-potion selling pharmacies. He highly doubted Miach would have anything of the kind, either. In any case, asking him, no matter how close of a friend he may have been was out of the question.

"Yes, Master Bell. You should help yourself and go back downstairs in case this drug makes me pounce on you. Please, for your sake."

Bell shook his head decidedly. If that was what would happen, then he would let it be. It was his fault in the first place and thus it was his responsibility to solve the issue as well.

"Master Bell, please. I don't want you to-"

Bell shushed her, placing his index finger on her lips, the sensation as if he had just touched the flames of a Crozzo magic sword. He had never expected the aphrodisiac would have been so strong. He admired Haruhime for being able to withstand it for so long. Out of options, Haruhime tried closing the door but she was too sluggish as Bell intercepted her before she could slam it into place.

"Master Bell, please. I'm begging you, stop this."

Bell wasn't planning on listening to her. He forced the door open, almost knocking Haruhime off her feet. He stepped inside the room and locked the door behind him.

"Master Bell."

Bell looked at her sympathetically, knowing that she was doing her best to hold herself back from leaping onto him.

"Master Bell, why? You love Miss Wallenstein, don't you? I'm not worthy of your first time. I'm nothing more than your friend at best, but I'm happy with that! Why don't you understand? Why can't you save yourself while you can?" she cried.

"It's because you are my friend that I cannot save myself, Miss Haruhime. I'm the hero, aren't I? The hero can't save himself until the girl is safe."

Haruhime latched onto Bell, sobbing into his neck and hitting his shoulder with a clenched fist. "I hate you, Master Bell. Why are you always so selfish? Why can't you listen to someone else's requests for once?"

Bell stared at the wall regretfully. "Forgive me."

His shoulder blade may well have become dislodged if he were without a blessing with the way Haruhime had been hammering into him. Her knuckles were white after so many repeated punches. She slammed it against him one more time before lower her arm.

She would not forgive him. Not now, not ever - but she couldn't do anything about it if she were to succumb to the temptations the aphrodisiac had cast upon her. She would focus on resisting it. For her sake, and his. But she couldn't focus with Bell in her room.

"Get out," she demanded simply. Bell was shocked to see such a resilient Haruhime before him, telling him what to do despite being nearly unable to move on her own. He tried finding a reason to refuse her but could not and obeyed, undoing the lock and stepping out of her room, hearing the door snap closed behind him. He leaned on it, listening to his friend pick herself up off the floor.

"You're strong, you know that?"

Haruhime's hand trembled as she pulled it out of her skirt, her fingertips covered in a somewhat sticky liquid. She had done it six times now, yet it still did not help with removing the effects of the aphrodisiac. She wiped her hand on some part of her maid uniform that wasn't already wet, covering her eyes with her forearm afterwards.

To be plain, she was ashamed of herself. The former daughter of a noble family of rare creatures, reduced to this mess by just a few drops of a drug that a queer god have given her friend. Nothing could make her feel worse, except for the fact that she had climaxed six times without any positive outcome.

"I wonder what Master Bell would think of me now."

For all she knew, he may as well have heard her in the middle of one of her sessions. She hadn't exactly been quiet while she was doing it wouldn't be surprised if Bell, let alone anybody heard her. Sunlight had begun to seep in through the curtains of her window. It was difficult to imagine that she had been at it for the whole night. To think that she had hopes for the effects to wear off after the night had passed was absurd now.

She didn't dare risk leaving her room - she knew that Welf and Lilly, if anyone, were larks and never slept past sunrise. To be caught in her present state - she didn't even want to consider it.

Her eyelids were heavy and she blissfully drifted off for the first time since taking those fateful drops of aphrodisiac. It was a blessing for her, ranking second after being saved by Bell on her list of happy moments.

But the pleasure of being asleep didn't last for long. The loud knocks on her door were merciless.

"Miss Haruhime, uh... if you feel like eating, your breakfast will be waiting outside."

There was no need to say that she was indeed starving. Bell had completely forgotten to deliver her food the previous night after their heated argument and she had been to afraid to get food to eat while she could.

She stumbled towards the door, flipping the lock and opening it just wide enough for her to take hold of the food Bell had supposedly set in front of her door.

Well, supposedly. What she found was not food but rather Bell himself. Definitely not the breakfast she was expecting - certainly a much more vulgar definition.

She slammed the door shut once more, turning the lock back to how it was before she heard Bell's voice that morning.

"No," she squeaked, her face somehow deepening in colour still. She could hear Bell take a deep breath on the other side.

"Do you want the truth or the truth?" he asked oddly.

"Master Bell, please don't beat around the bush and just tell me you heard me masturbating," she whispered, her face literally turning fifty shades of red.

Bell didn't really know what to say. "Well, it was a truth one and truth two situation, but... yes, I heard you doing it."

Haruhime squealed involuntarily, uncertain of what to say anymore. She could no longer face her hero. She had lost every speck of dignity she had left since she was kicked out of her home in the Far East. She knew she shouldn't have done it!

"That was... truth one."

"I do not wish to know truth two," she murmured, burying her face in her hands. She had no idea she could feel so bad in her life, but Bell wasn't about to stop talking just because she said she didn't want to hear it.

"Truth two is, I paid Lord Hermes a visit earlier and-"

"Why does he have anything to do with this?" Haruhime interjected, obviously confused as to why Bell would suddenly bring up Hermes.

"He's the one who gave me the... the aphrodisiac. And he told me that it's... well..."

"You can stop talking now, Master Bell. I don't want to hear it."

"The effects are permanent. Or at least until you... uh... actually have sex," he explained uncomfortably, continuing to ignore her. He was pretty sure it was the first time he'd said the words since his grandfather even taught him about its existence. He was relatively sure that Haruhime hadn't heard those words in a while too. He almost wanted to know where and when she learned to get herself off, too. He nearly slapped himself after those thoughts popped into his head. How rude of him, to wonder by what means a woman discovered how to masturbate!

Haruhime was occupied by her own thoughts. Without question, they were equally as obscene as Bell's, just not with as strong a tendency to disgrace someone - specifically herself. To think that she would have to do the real thing again - not that she ever did it as a prostitute, nor did she know she didn't do it as a prostitute - she was daunted. She would have to return to the Entertainment District and ask a random man to-

No, no! What was she contemplating? She could no longer subject herself to the acts of her former life, yet she could not find any other option. She was determined to save Bell's chastity - if Ais Wallenstein ever found out that Bell made love to a prostitute, she would definitely deny him the right to be her lover.

Bell didn't exactly have the nerve to tell her that, after she overheard that Haruhime had accidentally taken the aphrodisiac, Aisha had threatened him on pain of death to be Haruhime's first. However, she had already decided she would not allow it and he understood the basic idea of why she didn't want him to do it. She believed that it was only something to be done between lovers and while she had feelings for him, he did not return them. While his grandfather would have despised such a mindset, he respected it and chose to stay silent while he waited for her to speak.

Ultimately, Haruhime had come to a decision.

"I will stay as I am," she declared, her stubbornness equal with Bell's.

"What about our familia expeditions?

"I will endure them."

Bell almost chuckled despite their situation. "You do you, then."

A/N - well, yikes. I did not expect to write this. I started it as a bit of a joke - I will not lie, I was fantasising a bit about fox girls on the bus (Azur Lane's really getting to me at this point with Sendai and now Amagi) - but to think I actually managed, what? 3100 words? It's surprised me, honestly... This was not what I was thinking when I said I'd write another DanMachi fan fiction in the future.

But alas, it is what it is. I hope you all enjoyed this more mature - or arguably more immature - take on DanMachi. Once again, I do not own DanMachi as all rights are to the original author, Fujino Omori. That's pretty much it for now. Please do feel free to review, and I'll see you all (well, all who can stand the nature of this fan fiction) in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

It was a shame his ability, Luck, could not change the minds of others in his favour. As if the Guild didn't understand that their previous expedition mission had turned out unpleasant, they gave _Hestia Familia_ another. On the plus side, most of the familia was relatively fine even after the beating they all took during the previous expedition as well as any incidents since then.

Most.

While Haruhime had worked up the courage and strength to start doing her job again, she wasn't exactly happy to go on another large-scale adventure, certainly not in her state. She couldn't bear to face any allies they would work with on this mission, even if it were her friends from _Takemikazuchi familia_. It had been difficult enough for her to show her face and explain to even her familia members. Considering their allies from the previous trip, it was natural to assume Aisha would accompany them again and purely for her sake, too. Oh, how embarrassing it would be, for her big sister figure to see her like so! She could not possibly handle this!

She hadn't liked the news when Bell had told her and curled up on her bed, worrying over what people would think of her. It was more than likely Ouka and Chigusa would consider themselves at fault for changing her in their childhood and making her into the Haruhime that couldn't hold back her curiosity - it was how Mikoto had reacted to her reveal. She was also certain that Aisha would call her a dimwit on sight, though she was somewhat willing to accept it.

The doomed knocks on her door came eventually. "Miss Haruhime... we have to discuss what we're going to do and who's coming with us, so if you don't mind, could you... come downstairs?"

Reluctant as she was, she didn't refuse Bell and followed him. Since the day the accident occurred, she had been training herself to deal with the 'permanent' effects of the aphrodisiac and was able to begin walking steadily before a week had passed. Not to say that she had a better time trying to fall asleep at night, however. She could be lucky, but sometimes it took hours for her brain to finally shut down.

She noticed that their home's living room was louder than usual and hid behind Bell's back, sensing that there were outsiders there already. He could only sigh in response but did not deny her the sanctuary of his body. However, it did not last long. She was exposed to her audience once Bell stood against the wall to face everyone as the leader of the mission.

"Good grief, Haruhime... what happened?"

It couldn't get any worse than this. It wasn't only Ouka and Chigusa who had arrived for the briefing, but even Takemikazuchi himself.

"A-ah, L-Lord T-Takemikazuchi..."

Bell knew it wasn't right for him to laugh at her nervousness but he could not hold it all back and let out a few snorts at the tension between them. He decided to spare Haruhime the trouble of explaining.

"It's my fault. Lord Hermes gave me a bottle of aphrodisiac some time ago when we were scouring the Pleasure Quarter for Miss Haruhime. I lost it in Daedalus Street at some point, but I don't like the idea of throwing away gifts from gods so I went back to fetch it. Then when she - Haruhime was cleaning my room, she... well..." he trailed off, insinuating to them what had happened. Immediately, Ouka and Chigusa prostrated themselves in dogeza.

"Forgive us, Haruhime! We are at fault for taking you out of your home at night when we were children in the Far East! If we had not, you would still be a reserved noble and would not have been so curious as to try the aphrodisiac!" Ouka spoke for both of them after processing the unnecessary information that Bell had chosen to include.

It really happened. The exact same thing Mikoto had done just a week before.

"You dimwit."

And to further her complications, her predictions just couldn't be any more precise.

"M-Miss Aisha..."

"Bell, you bastard! What the hell did I say the other day? Did you have trouble understanding my words? Shall I repeat them to you?" she roared, ignoring Haruhime's weak greeting and ramming Bell into the wall.

"Please spare me! I don't have any experience-" Bell stuttered desperately, almost choking from the grip Aisha had on him.

"Maybe I should teach you what experience is, too?"

"I think that's quite enough, Antianeira," a new voice chimed in. Ryuu stood by the door, watching their exchange carefully. Since the events that had occurred since the end of _Hestia Familia_ 's first expedition, she had been - rather ironically - metaphorically dying to repay them for their part in saving her life. Upon discovering that _Hestia Familia_ had an expedition to attend to, she had demanded to be taken along as their friend and ally.

"Lady Ryuu!"

"Miss Haruhime. It's good to see you're... well," Ryuu commended awkwardly.

"Uh... so, I've decided that we'll go down another floor this time," Bell announced, trying to settle everyone down and save Haruhime what she had left of her dignity. Aisha let out a bored groan, letting go of Bell in defeat. She was more interested in having a proper adventure rather than in playing along with Bell's safer plans, even if it did mean better for the being she considered her younger sister.

"Argh, but we might as well go down to the 27th. You guys all saw that Amphisbaena. Whether it's dead or alive, the 27th floor is the same as the 26th," she said, voicing her opinions.

Haruhime raised her hand tentatively, causing Bell and Aisha to glare at her simultaneously, putting her on edge.

"No, we are not letting you stay behind on the 18th floor just because the Guild won't know if you didn't come further down with the rest of us. I'd like for us to be honest," Bell told her, anticipating what she would ask.

"It's your own fault anyway, you dumb fox. If you hadn't been such a fool and drunk any of that damn stuff, you would be fine. Or if you'd just get it on with, well, him," Aisha added, pointing to Bell. Bell and Haruhime both blushed furiously, confusing everyone in the room as nobody except them had knowledge of how to dispel the aphrodisiac's effects.

"I can't... I can't do that to Master Bell."

Bell was honestly impressed, not that he hadn't ever been impressed by Haruhime before - her actions during the Xenos incident were more than enough for him to praise - but this case was even more extraordinary. He had no personal experience with the aphrodisiac - thank Hestia, Hephaestus and every other benevolent deity he didn't - but he could tell that she used almost every ounce of strength to hold herself back. It was one of the few things she wasn't able to completely suppress after committing herself to overcome the effects of the aphrodisiac.

"Alright... so, now we've got that over with," Bell began, his eyes boring into Haruhime as if he were challenging her to interject again. "We're going to take Miss Aisha's suggestion and go down one floor further since-"

"Objection!" Ryuu called out, disagreeing vehemently. "I don't know - nor care, for that matter - what goes on inside your brain, Antianeira, but going down to the 27th with level ones and twos in the party is something a wise leader would avoid. True, the Amphisbaena would care little for floor differences, but there are tough monsters such as Kelpie and Voltimeria that exist on the 27th floor only. They pose a great risk to our weaker members and even more to Miss Haruhime. No offence intended to any of you," Ryuu justified, bowing her head as she finished.

"None taken, I guess," Welf brushed off impassively, "but... we'll have my Crozzo Magic Swords to help out. Is that still not enough? I could make one capable of electrifying whole streams."

"Funny, how your magic swords were the bane of your pride when we first met. Now, you're willing to trust several lives, including your own, to them?"

Bell watched Welf be silenced with swift and logical words from Ryuu. He made his final decision based on said words.

"The 26th floor is the furthest we will go. There will be no more discussion in that aspect," he declared assertively. Normally, he would have gone with Aisha's suggestion rather than Ryuu's, disregarding who he favoured more as a being, but he had resolved to take extra care of Haruhime until they were able to find some way to cure her - some way she approved of.

Listening to his words, Aisha could not help but stare down Ryuu who returned her own gaze in kind. Haruhime could swear that the heat emanating from their locked eyes could warm up her former home in the Far East in the winter. She attempted to sneak back to her room without anyone noticing, but Aisha was more observant than she thought.

"Where do you think you're slinking off to, Haruhime? You need a proper talking to about what not to touch in the future!" she said, taking a handful of the renard's collar.

"Eek! Miss Aisha, please let me go!" she wailed, much like a child would as they were being punished by their parents.

* * *

Bell led the party as they closed in on the 18th floor. Mikoto followed close behind, using her skill periodically - in fact, more than usual due to her desire to nullify the risk of harm coming to Haruhime. The rest of the party clumped up in the middle with Ryuu walking among them, on guard. Aisha took up the rear guard, though she was noticeably closer to the middle than usual.

"Strange... if I had to guess, no strong familia have been here recently. There's a monster in front of the entrance to the 18th floor. I suppose it could be any monster, but..." Mikoto noted.

"Ryuu, can you join me in taking it down? When we get to it."

"Of course."

The roar of the Goliath was more than enough to confirm Mikoto's suspicions, and soon it was in sight as well. It beat the ground upon spotting the group of adventurers, hoping that these would face it rather than run from it.

"Miss Haruhime, could I get a level boost? I want to conserve as much energy as I can for any real threats we might come across, like that Moss Huge we ran into last time."

They were going as deep as possible on the first day, so it was reasonable for Bell to wish to save his strength. Haruhime nodded solemnly, preparing to cast her magic - except she couldn't. Her hands trembled as she uttered the words to her spell but she failed to complete it, shaking her head in frustration.

"What's gotten into you?" Aisha growled, lightly slapping her on the shoulder.

"I can't stop thinking impure thoughts when I'm casting _Uchide no Kozuchi_!"

"Oh, come on! Don't make me force you two to do it in front of everyone here! I swear, if I have to, I will do it!"

Haruhime's expression changed to one of terror, frightened to death by the prospect of being taken by Bell in the middle of the Dungeon. How could she possibly survive such an ordeal if she was already afraid of even having sex with him in the first place?

"No! Please, Miss Aisha, don't!"

Bell didn't have all day to lend an ear to their argument, nor did he want to after Aisha's comment. While he was grateful to the Amazon for the many instances in which she had helped him and his familia members in the past, he wasn't very fond of her ways or her actions. He dashed forward at the Goliath, opting out on the level boost if it really meant doing as Aisha said. It would be fine, he told himself. This Goliath could surely be handled with just his knives alone; after all, it could not regenerate as the Black Goliath could.

The Goliath lumbered forward on all fours, noticeably heightening its speed. It reached Bell faster than he had expected and swung one arm like a hammer, forcing Bell to slide underneath it to avoid being clobbered. Its second arm came around, fist prepared to flatten him into the ground of the Dungeon. Bell scrambled out of the way, desperately fumbling to stand up. The Goliath followed his movements, each step coming with a murderous attack.

As much as it wanted to kill the human before it, it recognised the threat of the elf darting around it with a new wooden blade in her hand, cutting into its flesh in several locations. Growling deeply, it switched its target and tried to strike back at Ryuu in vain. Its limbs flew through the air harmlessly, the lack of resistance causing it to stumble off balance multiple times. Ryuu and Bell both took advantage of its difficulties to deal more damage to it and recover, respectively.

Once Bell was back on his legs, he joined Ryuu in the assault against the Goliath, striking at weak points. He picked off its fingers, reducing its reach and disabling its ability to hold items or to grab members of their party, but it didn't help in bringing the end of the battle any closer. As he reached to maim the weak spot behind its knee, it lashed out with its legs and sent him flying. He hit the wall, head spinning. He hadn't expected to be bested by a Goliath out of all the Monster Rex in existence, but this one had already shown that it was slightly wiser than most others.

Pulling himself off the ground, he rushed back to support Ryuu who had continued to circle the Goliath, despite having done everything she could for the moment. Her sword could not pierce its hide and reach its magic crystal, so it would be up to Bell to take the kill, except the Goliath was able to resist him while he was at his current strength.

"Miss Haruhime, are you still trying?" he shouted back to the group, eyes still focused on the Goliath.

"I really am, Master Bell! It's just... it's not working!" she shrieked in response, still having trouble casting _Uchide no Kozuchi_.

"Gale! Hold the thing off for a few minutes, I'm gonna need the kid to do us a favour real quick."

"Miss Aisha, please don't really make us do it!" Haruhime cried in fear. "Master Bell doesn't deserve to be dragged into such lecherous acts!"

"Then you better get casting soon!" Aisha bellowed, scaring her friend into submission - though calling her a friend may have been debatable at that moment. The renard clasped her hands together, beginning her chant. Bell nodded with approval upon hearing her renewed efforts before returning to the battle, aiming for the same part of the Goliath's body he had tried at before. He narrowly dodged another sweep of its leg, the swing of his blade only managing to skim off one of the monster's toes. He grunted in disappointment, having missed another chance to cripple his adversary. His mood was soon changed as Ryuu caught on to his actions and brought her blade across the opposite leg while it had been defending against Bell.

Noticing the monster howling in pain, he took the chance to close in and take his blade just a metre closer to its magic crystal before he felt an impact against his ribs. The Goliath hadn't given up yet; it was still alert as ever, the remainder of its hand ramming into his torso. He would need the level boost soon - or so he thought.

Two specks of crimson steel appeared through the Goliath's chest. Despite being rather displeased that Ryuu had let him be brutally hurt to gain the element of surprise on the Goliath with Kodachi Futaba, Bell was quite relieved to see that the Monster Rex would soon be defeated. The twin short blades crossed closer to where the monster's magic crystal should have been, threatening its life as it cut further through its coarse hide. The Goliath spun unexpectedly in a final attempt to dislodge its assailant, its last endeavour working as it had hoped, loosening Ryuu's grip on the swords. She failed to hold on any longer as the Goliath kept swinging her around and rolled across the floor as she let go, the monster effectively disarming her.

"Miss Haruhime, any time now!" Bell called impatiently. It was almost an embarrassment to _Hestia Familia_ , that they were incapable of taking a lone Goliath down - Aisha and Mikoto had made sure that it was their only enemy.

"I'm not doing this on purpose!" she stressed, feeling as if she were failing the expectations of her familia and friends.

"I know, but we can't hold out forever!"

Welf and Mikoto locked eyes, nodding to each other silently before taking up their weapons to join them on the battlefield. Welf charged at the Goliath, his greatsword poised to penetrate its hide and shatter its magic crystal, though he was easily warded off as one of Ryuu's short swords soared at his head, forcing him to cancel his attack. He hadn't expected the Goliath to be smart enough to use their weapons against them and lost balance, tripping over his own feet before falling to the ground and groaning in pain.

"Sir Welf!"

"Now's really not the time to be worrying about me!"

The second sword had been thrown, and with Mikoto's mind on Welf's well-being, she had taken no notice of it until he had given her the warning. Bell ran towards her, hoping to deflect the blade before it reached her, but he would be too late unless he used Argonaut on his foot to boost himself.

The illusory hammer finally appeared - the sign that Bell didn't need to use Argonaut to protect his friends. At least, that's what it should've been.

"Somebody needs to aim a little better!" Lilly cursed, glaring at Haruhime as she received the level boost. "It would help to give it to someone, anyone, who isn't your fellow supporter!"

Haruhime covered her mouth in shock at what had occurred after she had successfully cast _Uchide no Kozuchi_.

"This... this wasn't my intention!"

Mikoto didn't have time to wait for anyone to save her and leaned back, tensing her abdominal muscles to keep herself steady while the sword passed above her head, missing the tip of her nose by a few centimetres. It was a well-timed and skilful dodge but it wasn't tactical, as the rest of the party was situated behind her and the sword was now travelling towards them at a high speed.

Luckily, Aisha had been watchful and brought her broadsword up to hack the projectile out of the air. The second of Ryuu's short swords clattered to the ground as Aisha's eyes bulged at the nick the blade had left on the edge of her sword.

"Where the hell did she get those brutes...?" she pondered, not really thinking of a potential answer at all. She was more anguished that she had to spend time sharpening her sword so soon after starting a mission.

Chigusa and Ouka drew their weapons, hoping to contribute to the battle but were practically vetoed from doing so by Mikoto, who had fallen back and barred their way with her katana.

"Stay back! This Goliath is smarter than any we've seen in the past. It already has a grasp of our techniques and strategies and can even throw blades accurately. It is not to be underestimated."

"Mikoto is right. Allowing helpers to be hurt on a _Hestia Familia_ expedition is unacceptable," Bell agreed, eyes locked on the Goliath, searching for an opening to attack. An audible moan of disapproval came from Ryuu, who felt a tinge of mock-anger after hearing his words. She leapt back to Bell's side, prepared to join him in another attack.

"You didn't seem to be so distraught when I was thrown off that thing's back," she muttered, trying her best to sound annoyed.

"I'm... sorry?"

"I only jest, Mr Cranel. More importantly, do you have a plan?"

"Argonaut it is... or Argo Vesta, just for good measure," Bell sighed, resigning to the fact that they would not be able to win without some sort of magic.

"Wait, Master Bell! If everyone else gets out of range of my magic, I can guarantee a level boost for you!" Haruhime suggested, knowing how much a toll Argonaut took on Bell's physical and mental strength.

"And that means you'll be left out in the open for monsters to openly attack. No, I'm not-"

"Miss Mikoto can protect me with her throwing knives!" the renard insisted, within her a raging desire to show that she could be more than just a hindrance on their expedition. She was only thinking of an excuse to use her plan - while she trusted Mikoto, she didn't expect to be sheltered against everything.

Alas, Bell was the king of stubbornness, proving it time and time again and would do so once more, shaking his head. He knew that with the damage dealt to the Goliath already, Argo Vesta wouldn't need much charging to be effective. After just eight seconds, he burst forwards, Hestia Knife colliding with the monster's palm and evaporating its whole body from contact with its flesh, finally ending the battle. Feeling sluggish from even just an eight-second charge, he changed their plans.

"We're going to stay the night on the 18th floor." Nobody disagreed with him. After all that they had been through that day, everyone was more than willing to comply.

The party did not speak much, if at all, as they passed through the doorway to the safe haven of the 18th floor. The only words any of them had the vitality to say were to congratulate each other on their contributions to the battle. They set up camp a few minutes outside of Rivira, assuming that monsters would not happen to attack them and that they had the strength to fight them off if they did. As the trio of females from the Far East began to prepare dinner, Bell pulled Haruhime aside.

"M-Master Bell."

"Yes, it's me."

"I-I need to help Miss Mikoto and Miss Chigusa make dinner," the poor renard stammered, searching for a way out of being alone with Bell for too long - she never knew if she could control herself - and she knew that Aisha wouldn't be past teasing her about it, even if the effects of the aphrodisiac still showed. Of course, the blush that had swept across her face after her terrible excuse overshadowed any colour present before.

"I know. I just wanted to say thank you for offering to do something so courageous earlier, even if I did reject your idea and end up using Argo Vesta."

"No, no, Master Bell! I-I'm sure I was all talk at that moment! I know I would've run away pathetically if we really ended up going with my plan!

"I've known you for several months now, and I know that you wouldn't have backed down on your word. I appreciate that you even tried to cast any magic under your circumstances, really," he finished awkwardly, turning his eyes downwards to avoid eye contact.

"T-t-thank you, Master Bell," she said, also averting her eyes. To avoid the uncomfortable tension between them, she quickly scampered back to where Mikoto and Chigusa were, eager to help them in order to remove the previous conversation from her memory. Sooner or later, she found that it was impossible for her to do so and found herself smiling as her mind lingered over the few words of praise he had given her.

"To think that I tried to set you and Syr up... how foolish of me."

"E-eh? Ryuu? You can't do that to me! A-and what are you talking about? H-Haruhime and S-Syr are both just friends!" It was now Bell's turn to incessantly stutter as he forced several short sentences out of his mouth.

"Oh, is that so? A shame, it's too late for you to return that lunch she made for you."

"Ryuu!" Bell whisper-screamed out of the corner of his mouth, unwilling to hear any more.

"Isn't that what some say? The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach?"

"N-not for me. I-I prefer girls who are kind, pretty and a little heroic in their own way."

"And you're suggesting Miss Wallenstein fits these criteria, but Syr does not? Is she not good-looking enough for you? Does providing a substantial lunch for you every day not classify her as a hero?"

"But..."

Haruhime's ears twitched as she followed the conversation from afar. She may not have had the hearing ability of a level four like Bell or Aisha, but as a renard, she had the senses of a fox which had naturally sensitive ears.

That's right, she thought. They were just friends, close friends, to the point of family. She couldn't hope to become his concubine, nor have sex with him even once - but if things could stay as they were, she would be happy.

A/N - 4300 words... well then. I don't think I've ever written this much before. Forgive me for taking a whole month - I had been fussing over how everyone addressed each other (with the Lady and Miss and whatever) and was unable to check since my versions of the Light Novels are saved on my Google Drive (which was blocked in China). So, even after only 4 hours of sleep on the plane, I've edited what I could and completed the chapter. I hope you all enjoy and stick around for more because I'm not close to done yet!


	3. Chapter 3

"Mr Cranel... you are aiming for the 26th floor today?" Ryuu asked, surprised. They now had more than enough experience in the Dungeon to make it through the Large Tree Labyrinth in the matter of a few hours, but to rush through the beginning of the Lower Floors was a dangerous move. Mistakes were likely to occur when a party was moving quickly in the Water Capital, and any mistake could send one of their party members crashing down to the ground or streams below and to their deaths.

"We'll take those paths slowly. I won't be too disappointed if we can't actually make it to the 26th floor."

"Then I will do my best to aid you."

Nobody else had any complaints. After their experience with their first expedition, there was nothing more they wanted than to get in and out of the Lower Floors as quickly as possible.

As the descended, Bell and Mikoto worked together to dispatch any monsters in their way with a combination of magic and throwing knives, stopping anything that came at them with well-aimed blasts and throws. Bugbears, mad beetles, almost anything an adventurer could find in the Large Tree Labyrinth was slain without hesitation.

Bell reminded himself that they longer they stayed in the Dungeon, the more likelihood of an event such as the last would happen. They lacked a healer and Haruhime was slow to cast her magic after the more recent occurrences, meaning they were going to be worse off than they were last time. It would help for him to speed through this as soon as possible.

Larger monsters such as mammoth fool and sword stag were taken down in an instant by Bell's quick knife work, bursting into ashes before they could even register what had happened. Their progress was faster than ever, making Bell wonder just how much he increased his strength since his last level up. There was no way he had improved his status so much to account for this strength from their last mission alone, even if he did land the killing blows on both the abnormal Moss Huge and Juggernaut. It must've been his resolve to prevent his familia from being caught up in any more similar incidents.

About half a day had passed by the time they arrived at the 25th floor, the beginning of the Water Capital. The familiar scenery appeared far too peaceful to be the place where their worst nightmares thus far had unfolded. Half the party stopped to admire the sight but were quickly pushed along by Bell, who let them waste no time.

Coming across their first crystal bridge, Bell checked their surroundings, prepared to shoot down any sirens or harpies in the area. Before he could, Mikoto had already taken down almost all of them and even downed two more as he noticed her handiwork.

"Thank you, Mikoto," he whispered, grateful that she had saved him from needing to use Firebolt. Checking one last time, he made sure that there was no imminent threat and ushered his party over. He watched them cross one by one so as to avoid any chance of snapping the narrow pathway, furrowing his eyebrows as Haruhime's lack of balance instilled a certain anxiety within him. Had she been lying about overcoming the effects of the aphrodisiac after all? His worry grew stronger as he shot down a newly spawned harpy.

"Mr Cranel... do you think I should make an attempt to carry her across? Surely the bridge would remain stable even if I did add my weight."

"I think that would be for the best." He trusted the Gale Wind to take both herself and Haruhime to safety swiftly without making a mistake. Her speed would cover for the extra pressure on the crystal underfoot. Ryuu did just as she had planned, sweeping Haruhime across in just a few seconds, the renard yelping as her feet were momentarily lifted into the air.

Bell crossed last, taking to the front of the party once more, leading them along the pathways they had taken several times before. As they journeyed further down, more passages became enclosed, lessening their risks of falling off, but it didn't lower the number of monsters. Bell stepped back from a waterway, an Aqua Serpent splashing onto the path in front of him just a moment later. Before it could slide back into the water, he had already dissected its magic stone.

No action during the one-sided fight was out of concern for his familia members and friends. It was out of pure instinct, but the speed he had reacted with amazed even himself. He must've improved since their most recent major expedition and it was definitely no thanks to their daily dives to the Middle Floors. To think that defeating an Irregular monster could give him so much of a boost was beyond him, but he wasn't complaining either.

They continued as they were for several hours before the lower level members of their party began to show signs of fatigue. Haruhime was literally dragging her feet in order to walk and even Ouka and Welf were drooping despite being fit, young men.

Bell noticed and stopped their progress at the next empty cavern. They could set up camp safely here and appoint a lookout to defend against monsters that came from either entrance.

"Thank goddess."

"I can't feel my legs... it's finally over."

"Lilly's back is going to suffer after this."

The three comments from Mikoto, Ouka and Lilly were enough to tell him that he should've given them a break earlier. Haruhime had already collapsed on the floor and he realised that he had done her more harm than good by rushing. Trying to make up for his mistakes, he unfolded a bedroll and laid her down onto it.

"E-eh? M-master Bell?"

How foolish of him, to think that she was asleep or too tired to notice that he was princess-carrying her across the cavern.

"A-ah! S-sorry Miss Haruhime, I thought you looked uncomfortable on the ground and it's my fault because I pushed you too far so giving a proper place to rest was on me..." he said, lowering his voice as he got further into his sentence, a small part due to running out of breath after his failure to explain succinctly.

Haruhime would never admit it, but she always found him cute when he was flustered. It was as if his eyes spread colour to the rest of his face.

"O-oh, th-thank you, Master Bell," she replied hastily, turning her face away from him to hide her own blush. If only she could express her feelings directly for once!

As for Bell, he was completely oblivious and returned to where the rest of the party had sat down. She watched like a young maiden in love - of course, that was indeed what she was - as he gave them an apology for pushing them so hard and appreciated his kindness yet again. Lips curving into a thin smile, she fell asleep soundly.

* * *

Several hours had passed since she woke up. Realising that they had eaten long ago, she looked for their sentry. As luck would have it - depending on the viewpoint - Bell was on guard, sitting outside the tent they had erected over her.

"Master Bell."

"Good... morning? I suppose?"

She giggled like a young child, her cuteness speeding up Bell's heartbeat. "Good morning."

"Are you hungry? We left some food for you, but it's gone cold," he offered, handing her a plate they had set aside as she crept out of the tent.

"That's fine, Master Bell," she assured him, taking a seat beside him. "With how I've been performing, I'm grateful you've even considered me."

She began eating, unable to stop her eyes from veering towards Bell's direction once in a while. Ever since the day she took those few drops of aphrodisiac, it was as if the strength of her feelings for him had doubled, if not tripled. He was so young and naive, yet so heroic and ambitious at the same time. She could not even begin to list the other things she adored about him.

"Master Bell, do you think... that I'm perhaps a hindrance on this trip? Am I just... baggage?"

Bell almost jerked back at her question. "Absolutely not!"

"But I failed you on the 17th floor. I let you and Miss Ryuu get hurt."

"Do you know the real reason why I didn't allow you to stay on the 18th floor while the rest of our party came down?" Bell asked ambiguously. There was no way for her to know the answer. As much as she would have liked the luxury to know what went on in Bell's mind, she didn't. She slowly shook her head for an answer.

"This familia was handpicked by the Goddess and me. Lilly was my supporter almost since the day I started being an adventurer. I always saw good in her and she proved it before the War Game to the Goddess. And Welf... I've always believed in his ability to make weapons for us to fight with, armour to protect us. Mikoto is only with us on temporary leave from _Takemikazuchi familia_ , but we only have her here because Lord Takemikazuchi is a friend of the Goddess."

"What are you trying to say, Master Bell?"

"I'm saying that everyone in our familia is with us because the Goddess and I have both decided that they'll contribute greatly to everyone's futures, because they're people we can depend on any day of the week. You're no different, Miss Haruhime. I know that some day, you're going to do something great for us. And I don't want you to miss out on that day because you're feeling weak and down after accidentally drinking some drug."

"Master Bell... you are really too kind."

"That might be how I was born. I don't think Gramps contributed too much to that part of me," he joked, wondering how his grandfather would've reacted if he knew about Bell's reluctance to have sex with a gorgeous renard girl. He knew that when it came to lecherous acts, his grandfather didn't really have morals and wouldn't care for any excuse - legitimate or not - that he provided.

"You speak very fondly of him sometimes, though."

"It's complicated," Bell laughed quietly, reminiscing on the things he had learned from his grandfather. In the end, no matter how corrupted his grandfather may have been, he could not resent anything about him. After all, it was one of his sayings that had even led him to Haruhime. He wouldn't tell her that, of course - it was better if he didn't make himself seem like more of a womaniser than he already was.

Haruhime finished her meal, washing the bowl directly afterwards. It was strange to think that once, she would've been a reserved noblewoman and had servants to do this kind of job for her, yet today she was possibly more capable at household duties than his idol and crush. She would certainly be the practical choice for a wife.

"You should try to sleep some more, Miss Haruhime. Don't expect me to go easy on you all tomorrow," he advised her, half-serious. He rubbed his eyes, estimating how much time he had been on watch duty for. It was about time to wake someone - that someone being anyone but Aisha, who would likely make fun of the two of them being alone - and ask them to take over.

He snuck into the large tent after her, moving towards Welf but was stopped by the one person he didn't want to wake. Her muscular brown arm blocked his way, her expression demeaning.

"Now, what have you two been doing out there while the rest of us were sleeping?" she smirked, eyes shifting from Bell to Haruhime and back.

"Please do not assume anything, Lady Aisha. I was doing nothing more than eating a late meal and Master Bell was watching out for monsters."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it is!" the embarrassed pair hissed, almost making Aisha chuckle.

She slapped him on the shoulder lightly as she walked past. "If that's what you say."

* * *

Bell led the party through the multitude of tunnels and over the many bridges again the next day, taking special care where it was needed. They had reached the 26th floor soon after they had set off, a speed that Bell was satisfied with - but he didn't let anyone rest. He pushed them onward, slaughtering monsters that stood in their way. After they had cleared what Lilly calculated as a quarter of the floor, he finally let the party rest.

Though, as everyone would find out, no rest would be very long. As Bell stood up, ready to take on the rest of the floor, so did Ryuu and Aisha. Haruhime did her best to join them, followed by the rest of _Hestia Familia_. Ouka and Chigusa had no excuse to rest any longer, seeing their two friends from their homeland ready to continue.

As Bell crossed a crystal path over the 26th floor's plunge pool, Ryuu noticed something abnormal. Bell and Aisha felt it too, as if another adventurer was shooting arrows at them.

"Mr Cranel, you must hasten your movements!"

And then Bell realised that they were not arrows but rather a much deadlier projectile he had dealt with in the past, though on flat land and not a bridge over an unsightly trough of water. Tiny crimson birds that threw themselves at him, all the way from behind the Great Fall.

He had no idea how to deal with them while he was in a dangerous position already, unable to swing his weapons for fear of falling. He did as Ryuu had told him and bolted for the other side, hoping the iguazu weren't fast enough to keep up with his movement.

One bird was lucky to hit something as it shattered the bridge underneath Bell's feet. He was two metres from the other side, stumbling forward as his footing was dislocated.

"Master Bell!"

One of his desperate hands were caught by Haruhime, who had been one of the first to cross. His relief was momentary as he felt his lifeline slide towards the edge with him. She threw off the heavy backpack that weighed her down, putting more energy into recovering Bell.

"Miss Haruhime, you need to let go of my hand!"

"I can't do that, Master Bell."

"I can survive if I fall. You can't!"

She continued to persist, feeling more of her body off than on the platform. As more of their party leapt across, forgetting the danger to their own lives, she slipped even further towards the edge.

Then, another iguazu hit its target indirectly, before anyone was able to support Haruhime.

The whole overhang of the precipice collapsed, sending both Bell and Haruhime falling towards the pool at the bottom, their screams of terror echoing around them.

"...This feels like some kind of sick joke," Welf commented.

"I seem to recall this happening in the past," Lilly said sarcastically in reply.

"At least there's no Moss Huge to deal with."

If their friends survived the fall, that was certainly something they could agree on.

* * *

"Miss Haruhime, take off the Goliath Robe! I'm going to try to use it to absorb some of the impact of the water!"

She did as she was told, whipping off the heavy equipment and handing it to Bell as they plummeted and neared the end of their trip. He unfolded it underneath them, wrenched her towards him and laid her flat on the robe beside him. The impact against the water made a massive jet into the air.

"Oof!"

It had hurt, but he had survived. He looked at Haruhime, whose eyes were wide with fear. They had landed safely. Or at least, that was what he thought. Instead, they were in for another surprise that nobody could foresee.

While the Goliath robe had protected them from the full force of the fall, it also had a flaw - it was easily carried by the current. Bell and Haruhime were clinging on it when the waterfall tipped the robe over the edge to the 27th floor.

"This... Master Bell, we're done for!"

"Hold on tight, because this is going to be a rough trip. You should've let go of me earlier."

Haruhime shook her head, her emotions at peace despite their predicament. "This is more favourable, I think," she noted as they were drenched in the waters of the Great Fall once again.

* * *

"We can't leave them down there on their own."

"Definitely not."

"Alright. Miss Aisha, please take the two from _Takemikazuchi Familia_ to any safe point on this floor while we go down. Feel free to join us if those two are alright being left alone on a floor they are unfamiliar with."

"Heh? But this is my prey and little sister we're talking about. Why am I the one being left behind? Lion should have that job."

"We'll consider you for the job when you convince us that you're not going to do anything to Bell. If there's a next time."

Aisha mumbled something about a "midget pretending to be significant" before begrudgingly taking her role to lead Ouka and Chigusa away from any danger. She took supplies from Haruhime's pack before leaving, the two from the Far East following her after a moment of hesitation. The renard was their friend, too, but they trusted Hestia Familia to save both her and their leader.

* * *

It wasn't difficult to remember the last time his head had hurt so much. It was only a few weeks ago, after all. He had been caught in a very similar situation, only he didn't have a renard clinging onto him for dear life that time.

That was to say, not only his head was hurting this time, but rather every part of his body that had been crushed under Haruhime.

"The 27th floor..."

He helped the shivering renard up, handing her all of the potions he still had intact.

"How is it that every expedition only gets worse?"

A/N - I can't help but feel that this was horrible. It's as if my grammar and vocabulary levels dropped faster than Bell and Haruhime did. The writing style is not even close to how it was in the first chapter, and frankly, I'm ashamed. Worse even, I took 2 months to do this and I apologise profusely for the above. However, I do hope that this is a nice little bit of "character development" (in the form of a private and meaningful conversation) and sets up the next chapter decently. I don't have much else to say, so I'll hopefully see you all in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

She shook in her wet clothing, the soaked fabric sticking to her skin and numbing her body as her temperature dropped. She was afraid; nearly as much as when she was disowned by her family. At the time, she had been alone and nobody she knew could help her.

That was where the difference lay in this situation. She wasn't alone. She had someone she could entrust her life to by her side. Someone who had saved her on multiple occasions in the past, who had accepted her for who she was despite her ruinous and distasteful past.

There was only one problem.

"Master Bell, I really think we should rest somewhere. Pushing on like this cannot be good for you!"

"I have to protect you," he said single-mindedly. Little did he know, his attitude had sparked anger within his friend - the first anger she had ever felt.

"Do I not have the same obligation?" she screamed, taking one of his hands in her own. "Lady Hestia wants all of us to look after each other, not for you to take care of us all just because we are not as physically strong as you are!"

Bell finally accepted that he had been defeated in an argument. His legs gave way underneath him, his body swaying to one side as his fatigue overcame him. The renard was barely able to soften his fall, catching him from behind. She knelt down, resting his head on her lap. She had heard that the Sword Princess had done this once for the very same boy and she was curious how he would react if she were the one underneath him.

"We can't… stay here. There are too many monsters."

She understood what he wanted her to do and dragged his body into a narrow passageway carved into the wall of the Dungeon. She could wait for him to recover here without fear of being attacked.

"This is all your fault, Master Bell," she whined petulantly as she returned to giving him a lap pillow as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

He smiled dryly in response.

"How can you find that funny? I should have known that those were all the potions you had on you. You always snatch the role of the hero before anyone else has a chance to take it. You never know anything for sure, but you always do what you think is right. For once, Master Bell, could you not think for yourself? Put yourself before me?" she lectured him, a motherly frown on her face.

"Being the hero… well, that's what I do to be selfish."

"Honestly, Master Bell… I will never understand you."

"This is partly your fault as well."

"Eh?"

"If you had left me fall on my own, I would have those potions for myself."

"Come again?"

"I'm joking. I wouldn't blame you for anything that's happened."

She had the absolute worst sense of humour and would've easily become depressed had he not told her that he was not serious. If anything, she was grateful that he didn't consider her 'luggage' as the others had on their previous expedition.

"Perhaps this is all worth it."

Bell had fallen asleep on her lap, snoring lightly. She withheld her emotions and dared not touch him for fear of reproval should he have woken; it was unlikely that he was in a deep state of sleep knowing he was in the Dungeon. However, she found herself rather content to look at his sleeping face.

"For so much, how shall I ever be worthy?"

* * *

"I thought I clearly asked you to take them to a safe zone."

"Well, I'm sorry on the Dungeon's behalf for there being none on the 26th floor!"

Lilly made little fuss out after finding Aisha, Ouka and Chigusa still following them. She knew that it was bound to happen right from the beginning.

"Those two are our friends. We have a right to go after them with you, to save them."

"You're all hopeless when it comes to following instructions, aren't you?"

"Yes, Miss Lilly," the two from the Far East said simultaneously.

"Make sure not to slow us down."

"Yes, Miss Lilly. Thank you, Miss Lilly," they said once more. They reminded her of obedient pets, though she wasn't about to tell them that.

"Let me set this straight here. I'm not here to slow you down. I'm here to protect you."

"We appreciate your sincere goodwill, but we have Miss R-"

"Do you know, the Dungeon begins counting down for boss spawns after the most recent has been slain? It doesn't care if the most recent was an Irregular. As long as it's a floor boss, it qualifies."

Lilly paled, her former leadership mindset crumbling as she realised what Aisha was saying.

"The Guild states that an Amphisbaena had come two weeks ago, four weeks after the most recent naturally spawned one, as it should've been. But in actuality, the spawning of the one we defeated…"

"That's the one that the Dungeon started counting from. That damn Guild. To think they'd go so far with their silencing order on those events…"

"So? Do the math. How long's it been since we were here last?"

"Four… weeks…"

"And the spawn interval of the Amphisbaena?"

"…four weeks," Lilly whispered timidly. The rest of the party wore faces of shock and dread as they too put the pieces together.

"Do you understand now? If you're going down to unfamiliar territory, Lion won't be able to protect you alone. Especially not with that beast inbound."

* * *

Sinister cracking was the sound Bell had least wanted to wake up to.

"What's happening?"

"Eh? Well… the Dungeon is… how should I say it? Giving birth?"

"To what?" Bell shouted, his words barely reaching his friend's ears over the surrounding commotion.

Haruhime's worst fears to confirmed as the deafening and dreadful roar rang out through every passageway on the 27th floor, a cry she had heard before and one she had never wanted to hear in a two-person strong party.

"Most likely… the Amphisbaena."

"If that's the case, we need to move."

"Master Bell, you are not even close to recovered yet!"

"Don't worry, Haruhime. I assure you, I can fight in this state."

"Not against that Monster Rex! Even Miss Aisha struggled to defeat with our support. You are in absolutely no condition to take it on alone!"

"We're going to try and avoid it if we can, though judging from the first call it sounded close and a battle could well be inevitable. Besides, even if I do have to fight… I'm not alone. I have you."

"E-e-eh?"

"You'll do your best, I'm sure. I have great expectations of you," Bell encouraged her, standing up carefully, checking for any points in his body that were severely injured. Fight he could, but he would need to avoid putting a strain on anything that was already damaged.

Luckily, all he felt was numbness in one leg, something he was confident would wear off eventually. He poked his head out of the tunnel they were hiding in, surveying the area for monsters and was relieved to find none.

"You can come out as well. There's nothing here."

Ironically, his last words were drowned out by another fierce roar from the newly spawned Amphisbaena.

They were in one of the few areas of the Water Capital that featured no waterways, but the sheer volume of its call was enough to momentarily paralyse Haruhime with fear. Then, taking a glance at the boy who was unafraid of diving into hell and back for her, she followed his steps.

"I am afraid, Master Bell."

"I know. That's why - now of all times, when it's possible for me to do so - I will guard your life with my own. Come on, now. If we start moving now, we might be able to make it out of here without even fighting!" he comforted her, taking on a joking tone at the end. It was unlikely that they could manage such a thing, not when they had barely even moved away from the Amphisbaena's spawn location.

It was never wrong to have hope, but all too often that hope would be let down, and it was just one of those times.

Bell had barely progressed past the entrance of the passageway before running back inside, a horde of blue flames hitting the wall just a moment later. Flames that hurt Bell's pride to admit rivalled his own in intensity.

"I'm going to need that Goliath Robe, please."

She passed him the defensive hide, unsure whether it would be any good against the power of the Amphisbaena, but she had no other option but to trust Bell and to give her support in any way possible.

" _Grow. That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion_."

Bell thanked her silently so as to not interrupt her chanting and launched himself out of the passageway once more, this time taking in his surroundings to obtain a better grasp of the situation. The Great Fall was opposite him, the cascade of water still very much audible from his position. The Amphisbaena was directly in front of it, with its left head already spewing fire. He only had a second to crouch and raise the Goliath Robe to protect himself.

" _Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you_. _"_

This time, all too successfully in comparison to her attempts against the Goliath, the hammer had appeared above Bell's head in no time at all.

" _Grow. Uchide no Kozuchi_."

And that very same hammer fell to give Bell the strength he needed. Fanning the flames away with nothing but a flick of his arm, he prepared himself for the assault was sure to come. Without even a word, flames sprang to life on the Hestia Knife, the luminescent orbs of light encasing it.

It would take four minutes for a full charge, but Haruhime's magic lasted for much longer than that, heightening his confidence.

"It's time. Haruhime, start moving down! Somewhere I can see you, somewhere I can come to your aid even here, even as I fight that thing!"

She wasted no time in heeding his orders, scurrying down a path towards the bottom of the dungeon floor while Bell blocked a second shot from the Amphisbaena.

Another burst of blue flames closed in on him, only to be blocked by the Goliath Robe once more. But what Bell realised now after a second wave was that while he was saved from being incinerated, the heat would still reach him. It had not been long since they had fallen from the 25th floor but his clothes were now completely dry as a result of the Amphisbaena's attacks.

The flames died away once more, allowing some respite. In the time he had to rest, he took in the Amphisbaena's size, just as the Guild had described it - twenty metres long and several times longer than multiple orcs. To find a magic stone inside it would be difficult.

The two adversaries continued the previous cycle of attacking and blocking, only stopped by the bell chimes.

"If I can't beat you, then I'm not worthy to fight against him. He could behead you with just one swing, so I might as well do the same."

He was not speaking to the monster intentionally, merely trying to bolster his own resolve. He charged down the path, hoping that Haruhime had already made it to a safe area at the bottom of it. He did not encounter her until he reached the floor, nodding to himself upon seeing her safe.

He vaguely remembered something Eina had warned him about regarding the Amphisbaena's right head, but could not recall what exactly until Haruhime refreshed the warning.

"Master Bell, the right head! You have to cut it off before it breathes the mist, otherwise all our magic will be for nothing!"

Even as she called out to him, Bell saw the right head identify the magical energy surrounding him. Saw it rear back, prepared to send the very attack that he could not take. He had no choice but to drop the Goliath Robe and aimed his fist towards the head.

"Firebolt!"

The shock of his magic was able to stun it just for just a second, but it was a critical second that he was able to utilise. The right head was defenceless, the left was unable to keep up with his speed and there was nothing to get in his way.

If only he hadn't expected the left head to hit the right out of the way.

"Ah?"

He had already leapt off the ground and his trajectory was already decided. There was no way for him to hit the right head anymore unless he put a gamble on his knife-throwing ability.

"Well, what is life without risks?"

His knife was not for throwing, but he put all his might into making it a projectile.

Unfortunately, his lack of skill with said projectiles showed.

"Ah…"

The knife did not hit the head. He had not accounted for its weight, and instead, it embedded itself into the Amphisbaena's right foreleg before exploding, effectively dealing no damage to the Amphisbaena.

Drained of his energy, he only barely managed to land safely before turning around to look for his knife. He could make out the dark form, standing out among the glittering crystals around it, lying near the edge of a stream. He slid Hakugen out of its sheath before dashing towards the Hestia Knife, ever careful to defend himself against any potential Aqua Serpents soaring out of the water - but it was not them that he would have to worry about.

With his back turned to the Amphisbaena, he was prone to the next blast of heat from the Monster Rex. It opened its jaws, preparing to take advantage of that weakness that he had not accounted for.

Yet it ultimately did not aim for him, but rather the renard who had fearfully covered herself with the Goliath Robe.

"Haruhime!"

He rushed to recover his knife so that he could aid her as soon as possible but she waved him away, forcing him to hide behind a pillar of crystal despite the lack of attention from the Amphisbaena.

"Master Bell… You have to use this opportunity to kill it."

"I have to charge up again. It'll take too long. You won't survive!"

"I have always had faith in you, Master Bell. So even if it may be just this once, even if I am under the influence of a horrid drug, I beg you to have faith in me," she pleaded.

"I…"

"If you wish to continuously be the hero, you cannot complain about this little, Master Bell. Go and fulfil your duty."

"I didn't know people from the Far East talked to their familia leaders like that," Bell chuckled.

"No, but it is how I talk to the hero to whom I owe my life. This is part of how I shall repay that kindness."

"You really are amazing."

It was obvious that the Amphisbaena was bent on sending the defiant demi-human before it up in flames and did not so much as take notice of Bell, and allowed him to charge without fear for his own safety.

But his mind was constantly on hers.

 _Only a level one, and yet… she's gone above and beyond anything that I did when I was in her place. I committed to foolish bravery, but Haruhime… she's here with a purpose, drawing the Amphisbaena away so that I have a better chance._

"You're a hypocrite, Haruhime. Scolding me for taking the hero role, but you've gone and done it yourself. But… as Gramps always said. Hypocrisy is the foundation of heroism."

She would only show him more of the strength that he had begun to admire.

" _Kokonoe_."

"Eh?"

He knew that this skill was better used on full parties and that it would have no effect on individuals, but he did as she had asked of him and placed his faith in her.

" _Beloved snow. Beloved crimson. Beloved white light. Please let me be beside you - this love I have found at the end of two thousand nights._ "

Two tails grew to join her first, both glowing with the same light as that of _Uchide no Kozuchi_.

" _My name is Magic Fox, former destroyer. My name is Ancient Song, former dreamer. For you who beat your wings like a bird, I shall allow the nine spirits to dwell within me._ "

Her magical energy drained out of her quickly, but she did not falter in her chanting.

" _Echo, song of gold, sacred poem of Tamamo. White face, golden fur, king of nine tails. Oh tails of the auspicious beast, consume all, grant all wishes-"_

She did not hesitate to continue the spell, motivating Bell to do what he could as well.

It was then that he finally realised why she had pressed herself to cast another round of level boosting onto him. None of his attacks penetrated the skin of the Amphisbaena. Changes in angle did not help, leaving him at a futile stalemate - until Haruhime completed her chant.

" _Grow_. _Uchide no Kozuchi!_ "

The hammer of light that had appeared naturally with _Uchide no Kozuchi_ shattered, the shards of light joining the already glowing tails that had grown out.

" _Dance_!"

One by one, the lights left her tails with each synthetic tail disappearing soon after. But the lights did not leave and instead found their way to Bell, entering his body and doing what nobody in their familia had thought possible.

They gave him not only one, but three level boosts.

His next slash with his knife finally dug into the Amphisbaena's body, halfway to the hilt.

He knew that he couldn't kill it with half of his blade. There was only one choice and that was to rely on the little magical energy he had left inside him to give him an Argo Vesta powerful enough to at least expose the magic stone.

The charge was quick, ending after less than a minute - but it was the same power with which he had done fatal damage to the Dungeon's greatest defence mechanism. It would undoubtedly be enough for a Monster Rex.

Leaping onto the monster's back, he plunged the Hestia Knife into the Amphisbaena's back with the additional strength of the level boosts, letting it detonate like an inferno stone. Only then did the Amphisbaena finally snap out of its rage at the being who had dared to survive its flames for so long and recognise the human on its back as a threat, but it did so far too late. Its magic stone had become barely visible, but it was enough of an opening for Bell to take, sending his knife into the monster's body a second time.

He fell to the ground as the flesh he had been standing on crumbled below his feet. He lay there, unable to move after exerting all his energy. Even if he had vowed to make sure Haruhime was alright, it had become the opposite.

"Master Bell!"

"I'm alright… just a little bit tired, that's all. You're not hurt, are you?"

"I am alright, Master Bell. It feels like I have burnt my whole body rather than just my hand while cooking, but it should pass like any other injury."

"What about your mind? That magic must have taken a huge toll on you."

"It is not nearly as tiring to use as six tails are, but I am-"

If he were ever to ask her later about how she did it, she would be unable to provide an answer. She would dismiss it as a fluke that she glimpsed the very creature that had sent them down there out of the corner of her eye, and that she raised the Goliath Robe in time to block it.

The iguazu erupted into feathers, having killed itself upon impact - but more were on their way, crashing into the Goliath Robe. Her arm did not budge even against the forceful impact of so many small yet deadly monsters.

"I'll take it."

"No, Master Bell, you are in no condition whatsoever to be defending not only yourself but me as well."

"Give me the Goliath Robe. Iguazu are capable of shattering the crystals around us. Even with the robe, your arm will be demolished."

"So be it. I refuse to let you push yourself past your limits," she said, even as she winced, the individual dive bombings having an impact through the protective hide.

"Haruhime! Give me the Robe, please!"

"Fufufu… take it from me, Master Bell, if you can."

"Now isn't the time to be joking around with me, Haruhime."

"I would do no such thing in this kind of situation."

"Then give me the-"

"For goodness sake, Master Bell, you talk too much."

And at that moment, she deserted all sense and respect and unthinkingly closed the gap between their lips, instantly silencing Bell. Nothing more mattered to her then. Not the pain in her arm from the dozens of bullets raining on the Goliath Robe, not the fact that they were alone and nearly out of strength in the lower floors of the Dungeon.

"Haruhime? What was that for?"

"Forgive me, Master Bell. I decided to kill two birds with one stone."

"What was the second bird?"

"The aphrodisiac."

"Pardon?"

"Miss Aisha told me more about it a few days ago. Lord Hermes being Lord Hermes… told you a lie. It seems… he was playing the part of a father desperately trying to marry his child off."

"I don't understand the context for that statement, but are you saying the aphrodisiac…"

"All it took was any intimate interaction to cure. Nothing beyond what I was willing to do, and… I daresay nothing you were uneasy with, though I believe that was your first."

"It…" Bell thought for a moment, realising that her assumption was right.

"I think it would be alright for you to be angry with me, Master Bell."

"I think I just might be. I demand compensation."

"What kind of compensation could I possibly give?"

"Your body."

"Ehhhhh?"

In her moment of shock, she loosened her grip on the Goliath Robe, enough so that her near-crippled arm could not resist and stop Bell from snatching it from her.

"Master Bell… please, allow me to… Master Bell, why…" she sobbed, feebly trying to take responsibility for protecting them once more, failing as the excruciating pain in her arm barely allowed her to move.

"You've done well already. Rest now, Haruhime. I won't have another word out of you."

She took comfort in those words, letting her head fall gently into his lap as both mental and physical exhaustion overtook her.

"I still insist I should be-" she said, raising her voice so that he could hear her over the pelting of the seemingly never-ending storm of iguazu.

She was cut off by Bell exactly how she had done to him earlier, the surprise on her face showing all too clearly. But she did not object. This was what she had wanted for many months now, and it no longer mattered to her how or where he even showed the slightest reciprocation of her feelings. He had done so, and she was happy.

A/N - I'm almost certain the quality has been consistently degrading from the first chapter onwards. As for being late by 2-3 months… well, I picked up Fate/Grand Order in April because I took a liking to Tamamo-no-Mae (who, go figure, is another fox girl) but also because I've been relatively busy over the past few months with other things in life as well. Anyway, as questionable as the quality of this work is, I hope you will all stay around for the last chapter!


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